West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-11-25
PETROLEUM AS FUEL.
THE RECENT EXPERIMENTS MADE
BY A RAILROAD COMPANY.
The Result Quite Favorable, but the
Prospect Not Good for ANY General
Use of Petroleum as Fuel for Loco
,notiuas


Prospect Not Good for Any General
Use of Petroleum as q Fuel for Loco
motives.
The fact that the Pennsylvania Railroad
company has been making experiments in the
use of petroleum as fuel on some Of its en-
gines has already been announced. 1t is in
teresting to know that all the experiments
have been attended with success. In speak
ing of the matter, T. N. Ely, superintendent
of the motive power Of the company, gave
information which cannot fail to prove in
teresting to the reader and to the general
public.
He said: @For some months a passenger
locomotive has been running west of Altoona,
and within few days has made several trips
between Altoona and Pittsburg, hauling
regular passenger trains, the fuel used being
the residuum of oil refineries. The attention
of the officers of the Pennsylvania railroad
wasattracted to reports published in English
engineering journals in regard to method
in use on the Grazi Tsaritzin railway in
southeastern Russia, where oil was burned
upon large number of locomotives.
"a representative was sent to Russia, who
found in successful use upon all the locomo-
tives of the Grazi Tsaritzin railway method
for burning residuum, which method had
been developed by Mr.. Thomas Urquhart,
locomotive superintendent Of the road. In
applying Mr.. Urquhart's system to the Penn
sylvania railroad locomotives it was neces-
sary to make a number of notifications, due
to the fact nat the speed is greater and the
size of the locomotives much in excess OF those
used in Russia.
THE PRACTICAL RESULTS.
"The final results, however, have been very
satisfactory, and it is indeed novelty to see
a fast express train running without smoke or
cinders The work of the fireman is ideal,
consisting simply in the management OF
small hand wheel, which controls the amount
of oil delivered to the fire box, the device
being so sensitive that the slightest turn Of
the wheel enables him to supply more or less
oil to meet any change in the condition OF the
work to be done by the locomotive In the
trips referred to between Pittsburg and Al
toona the average number Of cars hauled was
seven, and on one occasion twenty-five
minutes were made up on the schedule time
of the day express, the locomotive steaming
very freely at all times. The average amount
of oil consumed on the westward trip was
4,5l1.025 pounds, and on the eastward trip
3,9s5.2 pounds.
"Admitting that the practical part of burn
ing oil in locomotives or stationary boilers
has been successfully worked out as described,
which we may safely do after the informa-
ton gained from the Pennsylvania railroad
and the Grazi Tsaritzin railway, we are led
to look at the matter from commercial
standpoint as relating to the economy in the
use of oil, as compared with coal. We have
the following data, which are the result of
careful experiment, conformed by chemical
examination of coal and oil.
OIL AND COAL COMPARED.
"One pound Of petroleum successfully
burned will generate as much steam under
the same circumstances as would one and
three-quarter pounds of COAL In locomotive
practice, when the cost of handling fuel, dis
posing of ashes, and the diminished repairs to
the fire boxes Of locomotives is taken into
consideration, it is found that one pound OF
oil is as valuable as two pounds Of coal. The
oil preferred weighs on an average seven and
three-tenths pounds per gallon; therefore, six
md one-half barrels of oil, at forty-two gal
Ions per barrel, would make exactly one ton.
In order to ascertain the relative economy
for heat production, the cost of six and one
half barrels, divided by one and three
fourths gives an equivalent value Of coal
"These figures will vary when heavy or
light oil is used. The prospect for any gen.
eral use of petroleum for fuel is not favor
able. The Pennsylvania railroad alone burns
about 5000 tons of coal each day, which
would consume over one-third Of the total
daily production of the United States. 1t
could hardly he questioned, however, that
there is demand for limited use OF oil as
fuel for stationary boiler purposes in locali-
ties where smoke and cinders from coal are
Objectionable, and in locomotives running in
cities and on high class trains where it is pos
sible that an increased expenditure would be
warranted.
"Even this limited use, should it come
about, would, in the aggregate, amount to
very large consumption Of Gil Judging
from past experiences in matters of this kind,
the natural tendency would be for refners to
increase their price, and possibly tc such an
extent that those desiring to use the oil could
not afford to do so in competition with coal,
and would have to seek some other means OF
obtaining the advantages which the oil had
given them n-Pittsburg Cor. Cincinnati
Commercial Gazette.